Finally, a Reefing Rotor Sail
Rotor sails have been an under utilized water-propulsion technology for almost 100 years, but that’s about to change! Our patent-pending design for a ‘reefing rotor sail’ will reduce the risk of damaged rotor sails associated with strong winds and stormy seas. Get ahead of the coming wave with Reefing Rotor Sails
Backstory: Rotor Sails
In the 1920’s Anton Flettner conceived, designed, and built the first rotor sail equipped vessel. Flettner modified the sailing schooner, the Buckau, with two 50-foot rotating columns and renamed it the Baden Baden.
The Baden Baden crossed the Atlantic in 1926 and was found to be 10-times more efficient than a conventionally sailed vessel.
The Baden Baden was destroyed in a storm in 1931. It is highly likely that the ship was destroyed due to the fact its rotor sails could not be reefed (lowered to reduce sail area during dangerous wind conditions).
The Baden Baden with two 50′ rotor sails
Our Solution:
A Rotor Sail Design that Reefs & Can be Retrofit to Almost Any Ship
Why Choose Reefing Rotor Sails?
Versatility
The patent-pending design is capable of being retrofit to just about any merchant class vessel (over 50,000 types).
Energy Efficiency
Rotor sails harness the physics of the Magnus effect to create a pressure-based propulsion using minimal input energy.
Home Grown
Our founder and inventor, John Donovan, spent a lifetime on the water. John seeks elegant solutions to complex problems.
Full Scale Prototype
Reefing Rotor Sails is in the process of designing and building a full scale prototype to meet the demands of this new market niche.
